Saturday, April 23, 2016

Republican Fear And Loathing: The LGBT Edition - Part One In A Never Ending Series

In the last month or so it seems the Republicans have decided to take up an inquisition against the LGBT community. Perhaps emboldened by the present crop of hate filled GOP presidential candidates lowly state representatives now feel free to dispense with their PC filters and are letting their hate flag fly. Regardless of the reasons they are suddenly passing LGBT hate laws with reckless abandon-and without concerns of any consequences brought on by their actions.

Let's start this edition of "Republican Fear And Loathing" with North Carolina Republicans recent foray into restroom management.

Last month, in a hastily called one-day special session, North Carolina’s legislature passed a sweeping law that revoked rights to given to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory

Then, so as not to waste even one precious minute, Republican Governor Pat McCrory literally signed the bill that very night.

The bill - known as HB2, the Charlotte bathroom bill or, more officially, as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act - that was passed specifically allows discrimination against LGBT Americans by requiring transgender people to use public restrooms that correspond to the gender on their birth certificate. In other words a fully transitioned transgendered man or woman would have to use a restroom opposite of their chosen gender despite their outward appearance.

Adding insult to injury the bill also prevents local municipalities from passing anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals as well.

The reason given by the Republicans for why the bill needed to be passed and signed so quickly was that they feared men in dresses would use the women's room to ogle the females inside... all of a sudden... that day... out of the blue. Yes, that's it. All this despite the fact that in all the states that allow transitioned people to use their bathroom of choice there has been - ZERO - ZILCH - NADA -instances of any such thing occurring.

Even more sickening the new law limits how people pursue claims of discrimination because of race, religion, color, national origin, biological sex or handicap in state courts.

Not surprisingly conservative religious groups are taking credit for getting HB2 passed into law, due to financial support from their national chapters. Many also believe gay and transgender issues are being used by politicians to motivate voters in a presidential election year.

If history is any guide many will recognize the similarities between this law and the racial hysteria of the 1950s when southern politicians warned that racial desegregation would put white women at risk... Specifically if public restrooms were to be desegregated.

There have been several push backs to NC's new anti-LGBT law. Many companies such as American Airlines, Lowe’s, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, have intimated that they're considering pulling their business from the state. More notably many musicians are refusing to play any shows in North Carolina as a form of protest. That list includes Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Bryan Adams and Boston. Many artists who do choose to perform are donating their salaries to LGBT charities as a fuck you. In addition the NCAA, the CIAA, ESPN's X Games have said they will seek other sites for their events.

Will other states follow in North Carolina's misguided footsteps? Stay tuned for our next installment of "Republican Fear And Loathing".